My ex-fiancé made me do a blood test the night before our wedding.

The next day, he threw the genetic report on my face and dumped me over defective genes. The reason was that the Zimmer family only wanted perfect heirs, and he said that I was not worthy.

He broke off the engagement, and instantly married the girl-next-door with perfect genes.

Five years later, he reappeared in the hospital, clutching his ill son.

He saw my daughter who had similar rashes, and he thought I had given birth to his daughter in secrecy.

Little did he know that my daughter had nothing to do with him and only had a mild seafood allergy. I would not be defined by the so-called defective genes again, while me and my daughter live happily and healthily, it was their turn to be destroyed.

Mark Zimmer's shouts echoed through the empty hospital hallway, drawing countless curious stares.

His son cried in his arms. His face was covered in patchy red rashes; it was awful to look at.

I instinctively protected my daughter, Nora. Her condition was much better, with only a few red spots on her arm.

Mark was furious. He pointed at my daughter and shouted with a trembling voice, "How dare you say she isn't my child, Summer?

"Look at her eyes, and look at her nose! She looks exactly like me when I was a child! You did this on purpose! You gave birth to her and let her inherit your illness, all to get back at me!"

I almost laughed from anger at his ridiculous logic.

"Are you stupid, Mark? Nora's eyes look like mine, and her nose looks like her dad's. What does that have anything to do with you?" I asked.

"Besides, it's only a seafood allergy, not some illness."

"Seafood allergy?" he asked. He laughed, almost hysterically, like it was a huge joke.

"How dare you still lie to me? This is your damn hereditary illness!" he exclaimed.

He tried to grab Nora's hand.

"Let me have a look! Let's see how your defective genes have ruined her!" he shouted.

Nora was frightened by his twisted expression. She burst into tears and clung tightly to my leg.

"Mom, I'm scared…" she said, sobbing.

I felt bad for her, so I crouched and held her closely in my arms.

"Don't be scared, Nora. I'm here," I said to comfort her.

Suddenly, someone cut in. It was the voice of a woman, a voice that was filled with superiority.

"Stop it, Mark. You'll scare the child," she said.

I looked up and saw a well-dressed woman walking over toward us. She clung to his arm affectionately.

It was Coco Lynn, the so-called girl-next-door with perfect genes, that Mark had once praised. She became his wife.

She looked at me with scrutiny.

She spoke softly to Mark, "I know you care about the child, but you can't be so harsh to Summer. Raising a child alone isn't easy, after all."

Coco painted me as the pathetic single mother who had given birth out of wedlock.

The murmurs around us grew louder.

"She's the ex-girlfriend who birthed a child in secret."

"Look at that guy, acting like he's interrogating her. She probably wants to use the child to gain something."

"Some women are unbelievable. She knows she has bad genes. Yet, she still gave birth to the child. Now the child has to suffer."

The insults hurt my feelings.

Hearing Coco's words, Mark grew more self-righteous.

"How can I not be upset? Look, Coco! My daughter has been ruined by her damn genes!" he shouted.

He turned toward me and ordered in a condescending tone, "Give me the child, Summer. I'll bring her to do the most thorough tests and find the best doctors for her. I won't let her end up like you, to be sick for life!"

I was so shocked by his shamelessness that I could not speak.

Coco stepped in at the right moment to show her generosity.

"Yeah, Summer, you should let Mark bring the child for a checkup. Our family will find the best hospital. That's better than struggling on your own.

"You don't have to worry about money; we'll cover it. This is what Mark should do as a father," she said.

Their back-and-forth statements made me look like a shameless mom asking for money.

I looked at them coldly and said, "I'll say it again. Nora is not your child. She has a dad of her own. None of this has anything to do with the Zimmer family."

"Her dad?" Mark asked mockingly.

He laughed as if it were a joke.

"Who could that be? What kind of man would want a woman with defective genes like you?" he said mockingly.

He judged me with contempt.

"Drop the act, Summer. I know you've had a hard time for the past five years. No one wants you, so you can only use my child to gain sympathy. Now, hand over my child. I can give you money for old time's sake, and you can live the rest of your life without worry," Mark said.

"Otherwise…" he said. His gaze became cold as he threatened me, saying, "I'll take my daughter back in my own way."

A stern voice from a middle-aged woman could be heard after he said that.

"Why are you wasting time on someone like her, Mark? Grab my granddaughter!" she exclaimed.

It was his mother, Lorraine Zimmer. She was dressed in an expensive custom suit and was surrounded by bodyguards. She walked over with an imposing attitude.

She looked at me as if I were trash.

"Five years ago, I told you that my family would never accept someone with defective genes like you, Summer. You refused to listen. Yet, now you're using a child to manipulate Mark," she said.

She walked toward me, then ordered in a superior tone, saying, "Hand me the child. A member of the Zimmer family can't be left wandering outside. She can't be raised as trash by a defective mother like you."

Nora cried harder, her small body trembling in my arms.

Fury burned through me as I held my daughter tighter.

"Don't you dare! I'll kill anyone who dares to touch my daughter!" I shouted.

"Kill us?" Lorraine laughed.

She sneered and asked, "With what? You should be smart about this, Summer. Otherwise, I can make a phone call and make you disappear from Sea City."

She turned to Mark and said, "What are you waiting for? Go and get my granddaughter!"

He immediately reached out to grab Nora after receiving the order.

Several bodyguards in black clothing also closed in and surrounded us.

I clutched onto Nora and quickly backed away, but I was forced to back up against the wall with no way out.

"Let go of me! This is kidnapping!" I shouted.

The patients and bystanders in the hallway watched from afar, and no one dared to help.

Everyone knew how powerful the Zimmer family was in Sea City.

Mark had grabbed Nora's arm and yanked hard.

Nora cried louder.

"Mom! Save me, Mom!" she shouted.

My heart felt like it was being torn apart.

Just as despair consumed me, a man's stern voice rang out.

"What are you doing?" he demanded.

The voice was not loud, but it carried unquestionable authority.

The chaotic crowd instantly fell silent.

I turned and saw Lucian Lowe.

He had a lab coat on and had a pair of gold-rimmed glasses. His gaze was sharp.

He was my husband and also the director of the hospital, as well as the chief physician of the immunology department.

When Nora saw him, it was as if she had seen her savior. She cried and reached out to him.

"Dad! Save me, Dad!" she cried.

Lucian quickly walked over and gently pushed Mark away. Then, he shielded us.

He did not look at Mark. He only crouched and softly wiped the tears from Nora's face.

"Don't cry, Nora. I'm here," he said to comfort her.

He checked the rashes on her arm, then inspected her tongue coating. His expression softened.

"You're fine. It's only a mild allergy. I'll prescribe some lotion, and you'll be better soon," he said.

Mark froze in place, staring hard at Lucian. His expression kept changing.

His face showed shock, disbelief, and deep jealousy.

"You? You're her dad?" he asked.

Lucian stood and looked at him calmly.

He replied in an unfriendly tone, "I'm Lucian Lowe, her father. Do you have a problem with my wife and my daughter?"

'His wife and daughter?' Mark must have thought.

He instantly looked pale.

Lorraine was also puzzled. She pointed at Lucian, then pointed at me. She was so angry that she could not speak properly.

"You… You're married? Her? A tramp with defective…" she stuttered.

"Mom!" Mark said, interrupting her.

He also looked angry.

He never imagined that not only was I married, but my husband was also tall, handsome, and successful.

Lucian adjusted his glasses.

"Please watch your mouth, ma'am. My wife is very healthy. She has no defective genes as you claimed," he said.

He paused and looked at the baby boy, who was still crying.

"As for my daughter, her allergy symptoms aren't the same as what I can see in this little patient," he said.

Coco instinctively tried to hide the child behind Mark.

Lorraine refused to back down.

She argued, saying, "What's different? If anything is different, it's because your wife ruined my family's fortune! Look at what she's done to my grandson!"

She lunged and tried to grab his lab coat.

"What kind of doctor are you? Your wife harmed my grandson, so you must take responsibility!" she exclaimed.

Lucian dodged and frowned.

"Please calm down, ma'am. I'll have no choice but to call security if you keep making a scene at the hospital," he said.

His voice was still calm, but it carried undeniable authority.

Lorraine was intimidated and did not dare to act out again.

Mark kept staring at me the entire time.

He asked, in a demanding tone, "When did you get married, Summer Stone?"

I did not bother to answer him.

He snapped like a crazy person, suddenly grabbing Lucian by the arm.

"She lied to you! That child must be mine! We were about to get married five years ago! There was no way she could've married someone else so soon!" he shouted.

"I want to see her birth certificate! I want a paternity test!" he demanded.

Lucian looked angry.

He forcefully shook Mark off.

"I think you're mistaken about a few things, Mr. Zimmer. First of all, I met my wife five years ago. We've been married for four years, and Nora is three years old. There's no inconsistency with the timeline," he explained.

"Secondly, a paternity test is a private matter. You have no right to demand it," he said.

He paused, and his gaze fell on the child that Mark was holding. He suddenly looked like he pitied Mark.

"More importantly, instead of obsessing over who's the father of my daughter, perhaps you should focus on your son," Lucian said.

Mark was confused. He asked, "What do you mean by that?"

Lucian almost sounded cruel when he replied, "My daughter has a common seafood allergy. Her symptoms are mild, and she will recover quickly."

"However, your son..." he said.

He pointed at the child and said, "He has a widespread rash all over his body, along with a high fever and shortness of breath. These are not your typical allergy symptoms. It's more like…"

He paused, as if he was trying to use the right words.

Everyone held their breath as they waited for an answer.

Lorraine snapped and asked, "What is it? Spill it out! What's wrong with my grandson?"

Coco looked very pale; her fingers dug hard into Mark.

Mark also stared nervously at Lucian. His voice was hoarse when he asked, "Like what?"

Lucian dropped a bomb on them.

"Like a rare hereditary immune deficiency disorder," he replied.